Switching apparatus



Sept. 16, 1924 1,508,414

W. M. SCOTT SWITCHING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 23, 1920 2 Shuts-Shut 1 INVE "r012 2 4 ATTORNEY Sept. 16, 1924. 1,508,414

w. M. SCOTT SWITCHING APPARATUS Filed Jar 2:. 1920 2 sums-mm 2 XMZM 912 BY Mg 625 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 16, 1924.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM H. SCOTT, OFEBEDYFIBIN TOWNSHIP, CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCHING APPARATUS.

Application filed January 23, 1820. 8eria1. 1l'o. 358,475.

To all whom it may com-em:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM M. SCOTT, a citizen of the United States, residing in Tredyfi'rin Township, in the county of Chester and State of Pennsylvania, have invented anew and useful Switching Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electrical switch or circuitbreaker structure for controlling or protecting electric circuits carrying current for power, lighting or other purposes.

My invention relatesto electric switch or circuit breaker structure of the character disclosed in my prior applications serially numbered 328,056 and 347,182, filed October 2 and December 24, 1919, respectively; and

in some respects similar to the structuredisclosed in my prior application Ser. No. 340,724, filed November 26, 1919.

My invention resides in operating mechanism for an electric switch or circuit breaker, and particularly for a plurality of switches or circuit breakers which co-act with the same or different circuits and which shall be alternately 'acuated or operated,

said operating mechanism adapted always to move in the same direction for actuating the switches or circuit breakers. alternately or independently of each other, means being preferably provided for preventing operation of said operating mechanism in reverse direction.

My invention resides in operating mechanism of the character referred to associated with switch or circuit breaker mechanism enclosed within a box or housing ratus embodying my invention, walls 0 the box or housing being broken away. Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 1,with mostof the housing cover broken away.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational iew of the operating handle, a

' Fig. 4 is a front view of the same. Fig. 5 is a front elevational view ual tripping mechanism.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the same. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of part of the operating mechanism.

Fig. 8 1s a sectional view, partly in section, taken on the line 88 of Fig. 7.

of man- Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, on the line 9- 9 of Fig. 7 and partly in elevation.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is a base of insulating material, as slate or the like, secured in vertical position by screws 2 and members 2 to a metal box or housing 3 adapted to be secured a wall or pi ar of a building, or any oth r suitable support. Secured upon the front of the base 1 is the switch or circuit breaker mechanism hereinafter described, housed in the box or other suitable housing 4 secured to the base 1 by any suitable means. In the example illustrated, the box 4 at its lower end ad]acent the base 1 rests upon hooks or members 5 and is held in operative position illustrated by the screw 6 threaded into the sleeve 7 secured u on the post 8-mounted u on the base 1. arried by the front wall 0 the box 4 is the member 9 having outwardly extending lugs 10 between'which is ositioned the screw 6 which, when a pa lock member 11, indicated indotted lines, extends through aperture 12 in the lugs 10, is inaccessib e to a screw driver, the padlock therefore preventing removal of the screw 6 which holds the box to the base 1.

The switching mechanism comprises two switches or circuit breakers A and B disposed side by side upon the base 1. They are or may be of the same structure, and a description of one will suffice for both.

The circuit breaker A comprises thestationary main terminals 13 and 14 secured upon the front face of thebase 1. With the upper terminal block 13 connects a stud 15 upon which is secured a cable or conductor terminal 16 in communication with a conductor. 17 covered with insulation 18, and

extending into the pipe or conduit 19 threaded at its end and extending through a wall of the box 3 and held in position by the nuts 20. With the lower terminal block 14 communicates one terminal of the electro-magnet winding 21 whose other ters sal sens s h th a d upon. when is secured the terminal 23 with which connects the conductor 24, having insulation 18,

. and extending into the conduit 192 which,

held by nuts extends through another wall of the housing 3. Similarly, in the breaker B the upper and lower main terminals are indicated at 13" and 14*, the magnet winding 21 and the conductors 17 and 24 also extending into the conduits 19' and 19, respectively.

With the main terminals of the breaker A cooperates the movable laminated bridging contact 25, and in the breaker B the corresponding part is indicated at 25".

The movable contact member 25 is carried by the arm 26, pivoted to the stationary bracket or housing 27 at 28. Pivoted to the arm 26 at 29 is the toggle link 30.pivoted at 31 to the second" toggle link or lever 32 pivoted to the bracket 27 at 33, and having the downwardly extending member 34 having the engaging surface 35 and having the exits clockwise movement about pivot 33, as

- main terminals 13 and 14.

viewed in Fig. 1. While the toggle 30, 32

' remains in overtravelled position indicated,

the contact member 25 is held restrained or locked in bridging engagement with the The aforesaid magnet winding 21 is disposed upon a core having pole pieces 40 and 41, with which cooperates the armature 42 pivoted at 43 and resting when unattracted on the stirrup or bracket 44 which has the upwardextension 45between which and the pole 41 of the electro-magnet is disposed the upwardly movable pin 46, hooked at 47 to prevent it dropping downwardly, and thooked at 48 to lim1t its upward movemen The member 49 is formed on a member 50 which is slidable outwardly or inwardly on the horizontal portion of the bracket member 44, whereby the 1position of the armature 43 with respect tot e magnet poles may be .varied, so to calibrate or adjust the tripping mechanism to respond to different degrees .of overload.

Pivoted upon the pin 51 carried by' the brackets 52 is the transversely extending member 53 having a downwardly extending lug 54 and the rearwardly extending arms 55 to which are secured by screws 56 the ter:

minal pieces 57 ,suitably insulated from the arms 55 by insulation surrounding and disposed under the heads of the screws 56. I

The members 57 are disposed beneath and adjacent the operating members 35 of the togle mechanism.

y pushing inwardly upon the button 58, disposed outside the housing 4, the rod 59 engages the lug 54, causing the tripping members 57 to rise upwardly in opposition to spring 60 and move the members/ 34 in counterclockwise direction about pivot 33, as viewed, in Fig. 1, to force the toggle 30, 32 from overtra-velled to undertravelled position, thereby unlocking either or both switch mechanisms which may be in circuit closing position, whereupon the toggle collapses and the bridging member 35 leaves its cooperating main terminals, as 13, 14, the final break of the circuit taking place at the shunt carbon contacts 61 and 62, as well understood in the art.

The operating mechanism comprises the tubular member 63 havin in each end thereof a plug 64 having stu shaft projections 65 having hearings in the bushing members 66 supported in the side walls of the housing 4. The end of the stub shaft 65 at the right of Figs. 2 and 7 is provided with flat sides 67 and extends into the opening 68, Fig. 4, of the operating handle 69. The plug 64 carries the transversely extending pin 70 which is rotated by the handle 69 to cause rotation of the tubular member 63, which extends, as show in Fig. 2, transversely in front of both switch or breaker members A and B. In front of each of the switch or breaker members the member 63 is provided with slots 71 through which extend the actuating members or cams 72 and 73 for the breakers A and B, respectively. The members 72 and 73 are pivoted upon the pin or rod 7 4extending longitudinally within the tubular member 74 Each of the members 72 and 73 have the shoulders 75 adapted, as indicated in Fig. 8, to be engaged by the tube 63 at the ends of the slots 71.

Upon a bracket 76 on the inside of a. wall of'the housing 4 there is pivoted at 77 the dog 78 having a detent shoulder 79, Fig. 9, adapted to engage the member 63 at the right end of the slot 80 and at 81 at the left end of the slot 82, the slots 80 and 82 being formed as notches in the right end of the tubular member 63. A tail 83 limits the counter-clockwise movement of the dog latch 78, as viewed in Fig.- 9.

The automatic circuit breakers A and B- mentioned conductors being connected to a source of current and the last named conductors being connected to an electric motor, electric lamp or any other translating device.

With both breakers A and B closed, in position indicated in Fig. 4, the connection is completed between the supply and consumption circuit conductors.

The may be tripped manually as above descri d by pushing inwardly upon the button 58.

In case of an overload, either or both electro-magnets 21 and 21" will be energized, causing attraction of one or both armatures 42 which will engage the lower end of the pin 46, driving it upwardly and so forcing the toggle member 34 upwardly, to move the tog l e from overtravelled to undertravelle position, and socause the opening of one or both breakers.

When the breakers are closed, the indicating elements 37 are in the ositions indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 opposite the holes or o nings 84.- in the front wall of the box 4. en a circuit breaker isopen, its indicator 37 is withdrawn to dotted line position, Fig. 1, away from the aperture 84. Therefore by a glance it is readil determined whether or not the circuit breakers are in open or closed position.

If both are in open circuit position, the engaging surfaces 35 of their crating members 34 will be in the dotted line posi-. tion indicated in Fig. 1.

Then by rotating the handle 69 in ooun ter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fi 1, the cam member 73, for example, wil be rotated in' like direction, and when in position indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 1, its cam surface 73 will engage the engaging surface 35 of the o ratin member or lever 34 of the breaker forcing it downwardly and so closing the breaker B, the toggle overtravelling, and limited in its "overtravel by the abutment 34, to thus lock the breaker B in circuit closing position. When the breaker B has been so closed, the cam member 73 will then occupy a' position such as occupied by the cam member 72 in Fi 1; but when the cam member is in suc position, point' downwardl', the cam member 72 for brca er A. exten s upwardly in the position indicated in full lines in Fig. 1 for the cam member 73- Then by further counter-clockwise movement of the handle 69 the cam member 72 will similarly close the breaker A, and will take a position indicated in full lines in Fig. 1 after completion of the movement.

The rotative movement is communicated to the cam members 72 and73 by the ends of the slots 71 in the tubular member 63, the end wall of the slot engaging-a shoulder 75 upon the cam member, Fig. 8, and so forcing the cam member to rotate with the tubular member. It will be noted, Fig. 8, that each cam member has some lost motion with res ect to the tubular member 63. When the circuit breakers are in circuit closing position, the cams 72 and 73 occupy such positions that the breakers may tri ped either manually or automatically, an ma move to open circuit position wit out stri 'ng either of the cam members.

As. viewed in Fig. 9, for closing the breakers the tubular member 63 rotates in clockwise direction, with the result that after closure of each breaker the do latch 78 takes a position such as indicated in Fig. 9, preventing counter-clockwise rotation of the tubular member 63 and cam members 72 and 73- It is therefore possible to operate the handle member 69 only in one direction to effect in succession closure of the two switch or breaker members.

By the construction described, access to the circuit breaker mechanism is prevented by the housing structure. Yet it may be operated from the exterior, but only in such manner as to close the breakers alternately or in succession whereby, if an abnormal circuit condition obtains, one breaker may be fully closed and then when the other is actuated to circuit closing position, the one first closed will be automatically tripped open by its eiectro-magnetic tripping means.

The operating or resetting mechanism is carried entirely by the housing, and when said housing is removed from the base, by first removin screw 6 and'then unhooking the housing rom the members 5, the operating mechanism is carried away with the housing.

Adjacent the operating handle 69 upon a wall of the box 4 is provided a member having an aperture 86 through which may extend the locking member of a padlock embracing also a wing of the operating lever 69, thereby locking the mechanism against unauthorized actuation.

What I claim is:

1. Automatic circuit breaker mechanism comprising independently movable switch arms biased toward open circuit posltion and automatic tripping mechanism therefor, a housing for said mechanism, resetting mechanism carried by said housing and dis posed in detached relation with respect to said switch arms for resetting them comprising members rotating in the same direction for actuating said switch arms in succession, and means independent of said resettin mechanism for restraining each of sai switch arms in position to which moved by said resetting mechanism.

2. Automatic circuit breaker mechanism comprising a movable switch arm, an overtravelling toggle for actuatin and locking said switch arm, an enclosing ousing, tripping mechanism pivoted to said housing and disposed in detached relation to said toggle for actuating the same'to undertravelled position for tripping said switch arm, and a member operable. from the exterior of said housing carried by said housing in detached relation to said tripping mechanism for actuating said tripping mechanism.

3. Automatic switching mechanism comprising independently movable switch arms, means for locking them in normal position, and automatic tripping mechanism therefor, an enclosing housing, means carried by said housing and. operable from the exterior thereof for moving said switch arms to their locked ositions in succession, a member carried y said housing and in detached relation to said locking means comprising a pivoted structure carrying spaced members for engaging and tripping said locking means, and a member carried by said housing in detached relation to said pivoted structure for actuating the same.

4. Automatic circuit breaker mechanism comprising a movable contact arm, toggle structure comprising a link connected to said contact arm and another link pivoted intermediate its ends, one end of said other link on one side of said pivot being free, an en closing housing having an aperture, and an indicating member disposed on the free end of said link and movable with respect to said aperture in accordance with movements of said switch arm.

5. Automatic circuit breaker mechanism comprising independently movable switch arms and automatic tripping mechanism therefor, an enclosing housing, a rotatable tube disposed within said housing, means external to said. housing for actuating said tube, cam members completely detached from said circuit breaker mechanism and rotatable in the same direction for o crating said switch arms in succession disposed in different angular positions with respect to said tube and each extending through aslot in said tube and pivoted within said tube, the end walls of said slots being so spaced as to afford lost motion between said tube and said cam members.

6. The combination with the movable contact member of a switch, of means for actuating the same comprising a tubular mem-' her, a secondmember therein, and a cam member completely detached from said contact member and pivoted on said second member and disposed in a slot in said tubular member, wherebysaid cam member has lost motion with respect to said tubular member and is rotated thereby.

7 The combination with the movable contact member of a switch, of means for actuating the same comprising a tubular member, a second member therein, a cam member pivoted on said second member and. disposed in a slot in said tubular member, whereby said cam member has lost motion with respect to said tubular member and is rotated thereby, and a member co-acting with said tubular member to prevent rotation thereof in opposite direction.

8. The combination with the movable contact member of a switch, of means for actuating the same comprising a rotatable tubular member havin a slot, and a pivoted cam member disposed in said slot and having lost motion with respect to said tubular member, said cam member completely detached from said contact member and having a cam surface elongated in the plane of rotation.

9. The combination with the movable member of a switch, of, means for actuating the same comprising a rotatable tubular member, a shaft extending into said member, a driving connection between said shaft and said tubular member, and a cam completely detached from said movable member ofsaid switch and for actuating said movable member extending through a slot in said tubular member and pivoted within the same and having lost motion with respect to said tubular member.

10. The combination with movable contact structure, restraining means therefor, and operating means therefor, of an enclosing housing, resetting cam structure carried by said housing in detached relation to said operating means and operable from the exterior of said housing for moving said contact structure to circuit closing position, means forpreventing circuit closure by said contact structure when actuated by said cam structure during existence of a predetermined electrical condition, and manually operated tripping means carried by said housing in detached relation to said restraining means for actuating said restraining means to trip said contact structure.

11. The combination with a movable contact member, of an overtravelling toggle for operating and locking said contact member, an enclosing housing, a resetting member carried by said housing in detached relation to said toggle and operable from the exterior of said housing for moving said contact member to and looking it in circuit closing position, and'manually operated tripping means independent of said resetting member carried by said housing indetached relation i contact said operating members,

cam members carried by said housing struc-- ture in detached relation to said operating members and movable with said housin structure to and from operative relation wit and means operable from the exterior of said housin for causing said cams to engage said operating members in succession to close and lock said circuit breakers in succession.

13. The combination with automatic circuit breakers, a movable contact member, therefor,

a plurality of each comprising restraining means and a member for operating said member, of housing structure movable to and away from operative position with respect to said circuit breakers, cam members carried by said housing structure in detached relationto said operating members and movable with said housing structure to and from operative relation with said operating members, means operable from the exterior of said housing for causing said cams to engage said operating members in succession to close and lock said circuit breakers in succession, and means carried by said housing structure for preventing reverse movement of said cam members.

14. The combination with a plurality of automatic circuit breakers, each comprising a movable contact member, restraining means therefor, and a member for operating said contact member, of housing structure movable to and away from operative position with respect to said circuit breakers, cam members carried by said housing structure in detached relation to said crating members and movable with said ousing structure to and from operative relation with said operating members, means operable from the exterior of said housing for causmg said cams to engage said 0 crating members in succession to close and cuit breakers in succession, and manually operated tripping means carried by said housing in detached relation to said restraining means for actuating said restraining means to trip said circuit breakeraf 15. The combination with a plurality of automatic circuit breakers, each comprising a movable contact member, restraining means therefor, and a member for operating said contact member, of. housing structure movable to and away from operative position with respect to said circuit breakers, cam' members carried by said housing structure in detached relation to said operating members and movable with said housing structure to and from 0 rative relation with said 0 erating mem ers, means operable from t e exterior of said housing for causing said cams to engage said operating members in succession to close and lock said circuit breakers in succession, and manually operated tripping means independent of said lock said circam members carried by said housing in detached relation to said restraining means for actuating said restraining means independently of movement of said cam members to trip said circuit breakers.

16. The combination with a plurality of automatic circuit breakers, each comprising a movable contact member, restraining means therefor, and a member for operating said contact member, of an enclosing housing movable to and from operative relation with said circuit breakers, a rotatable shaft carried by said housing and extend ing transversely thereof and movable therewith, manually operated means on the exterior of said housing for rotating said shaft, and cam members in detached relation to the operating members of said circuit breakers supported by said shaft and rotated thereby to engage the operating members of said circuit breakers in .succession.

17 The combination with a plurality of automatic circuit breakers, each comprising a movable contact member, restraining means therefor, and a member. for. o erating said contact member, of an enc osing housing movable to and from operative relation with said circuit breakers, a rotatable shaft carried by said housing and extending transversely thereof and movable therewith, manually operated means on the exterior of said housing for rotating said shaft, cam members in detached relation to the op erating members of said circuit breakers supported by said shaft and rotated thereby to engage the operating members of said circuit breakers in succession, and means supported by said housing and engaglng the cam-operating structure to prevent reverse rotation thereof.

18. The combination with a plurality of automatic circuit breakers, each comprising a movable contact member, restraining means therefor, and a member for operating said contact member, of an enclosing housing movable to and from operative relation with said circuit breakers, a rotatable shaft carried by said housing and extending transversely thereof and movable therewith, manually operated means on the exterior of said housing for rotating said shaft, cam members in detached relation to the operating members of said circuit breakers supported by said shaft and rotated thereby to engage the operating members of sand clrcuit reakers in succession, and manually operable tripping means carried by sald housing and operable independently of said cam members for actuating the restraining means of said circuit breakers to tri them. 1 19. The combination with a. move 1e contact member, of an overtravelling tpggle, for moving it to and locking it in circuit closing position, an enclosing housing, a resettin member carried by said housing for engagmg said toggle for moving said contact member to circuit closing position, a pivoted member carried by said housing and adapted to engage said toggle to move it to under-travelled position, and means operable from the exterior of said housing for actuating said ivoted member.

20. The combination with a movable contact member, of an overtravelling toggle for moving it to and locking it in circuit closing position, an encloslng housing a resetting member carried by said houslng for engaging said toggle for moving said contact member to circuit olosin position, a pivoted member carried by sai housing and adapted to engage said toggle to move it to under-travelled position, and manually operable means carried by said housing in detached relation to said pivoted member and operable from the exterior of said housing to actuate said pivoted member.

In testimony whereof I have hereuto affixed my signature this 22d day of January,

WILLIAM M. SCOTT. 

